Oh! Oh! Delphine is a musical comedy in three acts, founded on the French farce, Villa Primrose by Georges Berr and Marcel Guillemand. Book and lyrics by C. M. S. McLellan and music by Ivan Caryll. Produced at the Knickerbocker Theatre, New York, on 30 September 1912.

Dramatis Personæ

MIDI Files

ACT I   -   The Entrance Hall and Lounge of the Hotel Beau Rivage at Brest, France.

• No. 1 - Opening Chorus - "If the Colonel wasn't coming, we'd embrace you, darlings ... Yes, but alas, he's here ... Yes, but alas, he's here..."
• No. 1a - Song - Pomponnet and Chorus - "Being unmarried myself, mine's one of the loneliest lives.  I'd much rather die, if it wasn't that I felt fraternal affection..."
• No. 2 - Song and Dance - Jolibeau and Models - "Most middle-aged persons I cannot endure, they are so intensely suspicious ... suspicious ..."
• No. 3 - Duet - Delphine, Bouchotte and Chorus - "I'm good all day, I'm good all night, I'm free to say that I am quite the goodest wife, the best-est wife..."
• No. 4 - Duet - Pomponnet and Bimboula - "If you stroke a kitten's fur, it will nestle close and purr, such a pretty Persian purr ... Pirroo!  Pirroo! ..."
• No. 5 - Trio - Delphine, Jolibeau and Bouchotte - "Did you ever tell your husband how you ...?"  (whisper)  "No, I never would have dared to tell him that..."
• No. 6 - Finale Act I - "Oh! a funny little man tried a funny little plan, to have a little fun with me ... Hi-tiddy!  Ri-tiddy!  Could you tell me why did he fancy he could..."

ACT II   -   The Verandah and Rose Gardens of the Villa Primrose.

• No. 7 - Chorus - "Oh, gifted master, sleep!  and rest your weary eyes, a faithful watch we'll keep against the draughts and flies.  No insect fierce shall bite..."
• No. 8 - Concerted Number - "Oh dear, oh dear, what have we here?  What means this woe?  We'd like to know.  Be still, be still, disturb us not, and let us weep..."
• No. 9 - Duet - Delphine and Jolibeau - "Though I have lived, I believe, twenty years and more, of them all I value but one;  the year we met and fondly swore..."
• No. 10 - Song - Simone and Male Chorus - "Life is cold till the stars are out, then I find that life is quite all right;  fair, sweet day, I can do without ..."
• No. 11 - Song - Bouchotte and Chorus - "When I come home each night to dine, the housemaid lets me in.  She has a nature saturnine, and wears a dreadful grin."
• No. 12 - Quarrel Duet - Delphine, Simone and Chorus - "Cat!  cat!  who said Cat?  To what does Cat refer? ... Cat!  Cat!  I said cat!  and Cat refers to her! ..."
• No. 13 - Finale Act II - "Oh come, Bouchotte, away, you're not quite well today; we'll tuck you in a cosy comfy cot.  As we don't know at all, a doctor we will call..."

ACT III   -   A Grand Reception Hall opening into a Ballroom, Hotel Beau Rivage.

• No. 14 - Opening Chorus - "Pavlova came over like this to France, a-dancing on her toes;  Oh, that was the cue for the world to dance..."
• No. 15 - Duet - Jolibeau and Bimboula - "I learned a beautiful story of a Venus who rose from the sea, filling the world with her glory, and the glory extended to me."
• No. 16 - Song - Bouchotte and Chorus - "Stay with me, and you'll all agree you've never seen a man carry on so! ... On so! ... Soon my name will be known..."
• No. 17 - Finale Act III - "He's for a life of Hoop-la up by the big Red Mill;  on his toes at the Montmartre shows he is off to take his fill..."

Other songs previously omitted from the vocal score.

• Formerly No. 12 - Duet - Bimboula and Pomponnet - "Ladies I have met of ev'ry style, but you just do.  You are like a serpent of the Nile - your kiss should hiss..."
• Formerly No. 19 - Song - Simone and Chorus - "Of course you know young Dinkelpop, he's a captain in the lancers.  I mean the chap named Dinkelpop..."

 MIDI files

External Link

Vocal Score at UR Research

American Musical Theatre

Page modified 19 November 2016